My Little Pony Monthly Issue 12 (March 1, 1998)


My Little Pony Monthly
Established June 1997

If you do not want to be on our mailing list, e-mail Tabby at TabbyMLP@aol.com and you'll be removed.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Issue 12
March 1998
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Letters to the Editor


From: yu216411@yorku.ca

Subject: My Little Pony Monthly

Hello

I think I have a good idea for My Little Pony Monthly. I know that it is coming out soon, so it wouldn't have to be in this issue or anything. I was thinking about a spot where people could share their great finds. Like if a person was at a flea market and picked up a box of 20 ponies for only five dollars. Or single great finds. Maybe finding a pony they were really looking for at a second hand store for only fifty cents. I know that I love to hear stories about how other people found their ponies, I was just wondering if anyone else does.

Just wondering what you think of this idea.

Tanya



Editor's note- If anyone would be interested in contributing to Tanya's suggestion, please send your submissions to me.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Author's note:



In 1984, the author of the following story turned on the television to see an animated program entitled My Little Pony. For Alan, an avid lover of horses, animation and fantasy stories, it was an irresistible combination.

Some time later, he purchased a paperback fantasy novel about horses. Sadly, the novel contained an offensive story line with unwholesome themes and it was clearly evident the author had no love for horses. Alan's outraged complaints to his friends and his amazement that such a thing would be published by a mainstream publisher resulted in the challenge to "try and do better." The following story is one of the results, a blend of Alan's three main pleasures. Continuing to meet the challenge of his friends, a unicorn-oriented story will be published May, 1998 in PawPrints Fanzine and a fantasy novel with a unicorn theme is in the works with a completion date set for 1999. And today, at the age of 43, he still writes with Lickety Split sitting on top of his computer monitor, a gift from his friends who encouraged him to turn his outrage into the action of writing.

All The Pretty Little Ponies is a revisionist interpretation of the My Little Pony mythos presented as an epic fantasy for older children, yet respectful of the innocence, fun and wonder of the original television program. Complete in itself, the following story may someday be the first chapter in a much larger work. Comments and constructive criticism of the following story would be appreciated and may be sent to the author at cloewen@juno.com.



All The Pretty Little Ponies
by
C. Alan Loewen


For Candice and Allison


ALL RIGHTS RESERVED


Hush a bye;

Don't you cry;

Go to sleep my little baby.

When you wake

You shall have

All the pretty little ponies.



- traditional lullaby





Megan woke up and yawned, the bright June sun streaming through her bedroom window. From downstairs, the smell of breakfast made her hungry for waffles and bacon, Aunt Constance's standard Saturday morning fare.

Megan rubbed her eyes and got out of bed, trying and failing once again not to look at the picture of her parents that sat near her bedside. After four months, the tears did not come as often. It bothered Megan that she might get used to her parents not being there and never seeing them again.

From downstairs, Aunt Constance called her to breakfast and Megan stripped off her nightgown in exchange for shorts and T-shirt. Minutes later, she sat at the table with a plate of waffles and bacon in front of her.

"Good morning, Aunt Constance." Her aunt smiled in return, but quickly turned to the task of scrubbing egg off the frying pan. Lost in the rational world of adulthood, Aunt Constance did not speak much to Megan, but the reasons were ones of inability, not malevolence. Aunt Constance saw children as fabulous monsters, illogical and irrational, and eleven-year-old Megan was just as much of a mystery.

The knock on the door surprised them both. The orderly rules of a Saturday morning dictated only the sound of mail being dropped through the mail slot.

Megan jumped up from the table. "I'll get it."

The mailman at the door smiled professionally and held out a small package wrapped in brown paper. The top of the package contained only Megan's name and address and canceled postage stamps.

Giving her thanks, Megan returned to the breakfast table with the box and a small pile of mail.

"What is it, Megan?" Aunt Constance took the little package and turned it over in her hands and frowned at it. With no return address, she had no idea who it came from, but she gave it back to Megan with a shrug. "Don't leave the wrapping paper and box on the table. I want to keep a clean kitchen today." She turned back to her frying pan.

Megan eagerly opened the package and opened the box. Aunt Constance turned at the sound of Megan's cry of delight.

The little glass globe easily fit into the palm of Megan's hand, but the detail was breathtaking. A crenellated fantasy castle, its spires of ivory contrasting with the green of the surrounding fields, sat protected under the thick glass.

"Oh, Aunt Constance, it's beautiful." Megan gently shook the globe to see if it would create a snowstorm like she had seen some globes do. Nothing happened.

Aunt Constance peeked into the box and searched in vain for any clue as to where the package came from. She sniffed in annoyance and shook her head. "Most improper. Don't get too attached to it, Megan. I don't like you receiving gifts from strangers."

"I wonder who sent it to me?" Megan mused.

After breakfast, she carefully carried it back to her room and sat it on her bed stand where the sunlight streaming through the bedroom window made the castle glow. Megan blinked and suddenly looked closer. Was there something, some mote, twirling about one of the towers? She squinted as hard as she could, but the mote had disappeared. Megan shook her head and put it down to eyes being tricked by the bright sunlight reflecting off the thick glass.

She lay on the bed, staring at the englobed castle where it sat next to the picture of her parents. Already fantasy daydreams had taken her to where parents never went away and wonder and magic still existed and the Aunt Constances of the world, though they tried to be nice and loving, remained aunts and not substitute parents.

The castle glowed and again Megan marveled at the exquisite detail. Every individual stone stood out in sharp relief and one darkened window in the highest turret suddenly lit up with brilliance as it reflected something from the sunlight streaming through Megan's bedroom window.

Suddenly, she felt giddy and light-headed as the window of the castle expanded until it became her world. As if slipping into a dream, the brilliance grew and grew engulfing her in a beautiful radiance as if she were looking through an opal.

With a squeak of surprise, she sat up to find herself in a strange little room facing an open window framed in stone. She spun around and gasped at the sight before her.

A small dark pony stood before a tall bookstand that held a massive leather-bound book. Strange items hung on the walls and bookshelves overflowed with yellow parchments and scrolls.

The pony, its hide as dark as coal, stared back at Megan open-mouthed, its eyes wide with surprise.

"Oh," it said. Suddenly, in a clatter of little hooves, it ran from the room. Receding down the hallway, she could hear the pony calling, "Twilight! Twilight!"

Megan stared about her in surprise. A talking pony within what looked to be…could it be…the castle?

Megan ran to the stone-framed window. The sky was a riot of colors, swirled and strange, almost as if she was looking through…through glass! Could she be inside the castle looking through into her own sunlit room?

Something all of a sudden flashed by the window and Megan gasped in wonder. Another small horse…a pony…swooped through the air on wings of brilliant white. Then another one soared up from below, gray with a slightly darker mane, tail and wings. Megan gasped in wonder as she watched them, their wings spread so far apart to catch the air, that each individual pinion stood out in sharp relief against that swirled sky. Together, the two winged ponies danced a ballet unrestricted by the bounds of gravity. Faintly, Megan thought she could hear laughter.

"I told you that reading those books would only end up causing trouble." Megan jumped in surprise and spun around to meet only another wonder. The little black pony had returned and stood in the doorway with a companion. In contrast to the first pony, this one's hide glowed with a brightness that rivaled the whiteness of the purest milk and its mane and tail formed a frosty nimbus. Its hooves flashed with mother-of-pearl that matched the small horn that sprung from its forehead. The diminuitive unicorn stared at Megan who had backed herself into the wall and stood watching the two ponies with her mouth open in shock.

The black pony looked downcast and pawed at the floor with one jet-black hoof. "I'm sorry, Twilight. I really didn't read anything. The pictures are so pretty."

The unicorn motioned with her head toward Megan. "What's done is done, Ember, so I'd not worry about it now. Go get Medley and Firefly and the others and tell them we have a visitor."

The first pony turned and once again ran off down the hall. Carefully, the unicorn entered the room keeping her distance from Megan, watching her carefully, her head cocked like a dog that is seeing a new wonder for the first time. "Can you talk?" the unicorn asked. Megan nodded in response.

The unicorn snorted. "Well, that's a start. My name is Twilight. Can you tell me your name?"

"My name's Megan," Megan responded with a whisper. "What are you? Do you live in the castle?"

"I see we have a lot to talk about," Twilight said. She came closer and gazed wonderingly at Megan's hands. Feeling self-conscious, Megan held them in front of her, thinking perhaps that Twilight was concerned she had something dangerous in them. The little unicorn simply sniffed, then nuzzled them.

Twilight's nose was warm and reminded Megan of soft, crushed velvet like her Easter dress. Following the sudden desire, Megan stroked that wonderful nose and with her other, stroked that glorious mane.

"Hands," Twilight said. "You have hands. You can help us.

"Come with me. I must introduce you to the others." With that, Twilight turned and headed for the door.

Megan followed the unicorn-pony down a hallway hung with ancient tapestries woven with ancient symbols. The hallway turned into a circular staircase and down they went for some time, their way illuminated only by light streaming in through small windows cut in the ancient stone.

At the bottom of the tower, the stairway ended in a door that Twilight pushed open with her shoulder. In the courtyard, four ponies stood looking at her in awe.

"Everyone, this is Megan." With her muzzle, she gently pushed Megan toward the group. Immediately, she was surrounded by ponies, all talking at the same time, asking her questions in such rapid fashion, individual questions were drowned out by others.

A muffled sound of wind made Megan look up just in time to see the two delicate flying ponies spread their wings in preparation for landing. As quiet as kestrel they gently touched down in the courtyard and stared open-mouthed at Megan.

Twilight stamped her hoof in an attempt to get some order. "Sisters. Sisters. Please be patient."

The ponies settled down looking at Megan with eager anticipation.

Twilight went around the group making introductions. "This is Ember, whom you've already met." Ember did a graceful equine form of a curtsey, much to Megan's delight.

"This is Starlight." Starlight, another small unicorn, curtsied in turn. Cream-colored, her horn and hooves blazed like her sister's.

"The two winged ponies are Firefly and Medley." The two had gracefully folded their wings over their flanks and stared at Megan in undisguised curiosity.

Finally, Twilight introduced Megan to Bowtie, a pretty blue roan and Applejack, a chestnut-colored pony with a darker mane and tail.

"Megan," Twilight asked. "Tell us who you are and where you came from."

Megan pointed at the swirled sky. "I think I came from my bedroom out there. Somebody mailed me this castle in a glass globe and I was looking at it in my bedroom when suddenly I was in the castle."

Ember interrupted. "I didn't bring her here. I was just looking at the pictures."

"It's quite all right, Ember," Twilight said. "Megan's here and it's a blessing she is. We don't know what a bedroom or a globe are or what it means to be mailed, but if Megan can open the one door for us…" Her voice trailed off in a question.

With that all the other ponies began speaking all at once. Megan sighed to herself. "How do I get back home?" she asked. The others looked at her in silence.

Once again, Twilight spoke for the group. "We don't know how you actually got here, so we're not certain how you can get back.

"But before we solve that problem, could you solve one for us? We don't have hands and there is a door we have never been able to open."

Megan shrugged. "Okay. I'll be happy to open a door for you."

Moments later they were back in the castle walking through one of its wide stone hallways. Twilight and Megan led the way, followed by the other six ponies, Firefly and Medley having folded their wings to avoid knocking things over.

Megan burned with questions. "How long have you lived in the castle and where did you come from?"

Twilight sighed. "We simply do not know. Long, long ago we simply woke up one day and here we were in the castle. We knew each other and we knew ourselves, but we have no memory of what came before. We know of people and grass and names and animals, but don't know how we know them. We are simply here, but don't remember a thing that is helpful."

"We call that amnesia," Megan said, trying to be useful.

Twilight nodded her head at hearing the word. "Amnesia must be a very powerful spell." Twilight continued before Megan could interrupt her.

"We explored the castle from its underground chambers to its highest turrets and the fields out to the invisible wall. There has been no clue to tell us who we are or why we are here.

"However, we have found a door that we cannot open. Its latches are too complex for hooves and lips. We have always hoped that behind that door lay the answers we sought."

Megan and the ponies continued down into the lower levels of the castle, past ancient tapestries and mosaics, dim halls leading into gloom and beckoning a brave explorer.

Twilight stopped in front of a large iron door, its latches complex puzzles of metal. "This is the door, Megan. Can you help?"

Megan looked at the seven latches. She saw what Twilight meant; intricate whorls of metal, Megan didn't even know if she could solve these puzzles even with hands.

With looks of expectation from the ponies, Megan tackled the first latch, a simple affair that required the main bolt to be spun in its socket. With a click, the latch opened to the cheers of the seven ponies. The next latch was more difficult requiring one part to be threaded through another at a unique angle. Each successive latch took longer to open and the cheers upon completion grew louder with each triumph.

To Megan it felt as hours had passed and she was wondering what Aunt Constance would think with her being gone. How would she know to look in the globe? Megan brushed her hair out of her eyes, pushed the thought out of her mind and continued on the seventh and final latch.

She worked at the maze of wires and rods, grateful that the ponies let her work undisturbed without questions and advice. Fifteen minutes later, Megan felt she was no closer to its solution that when she started and, in fact, may have even made it worse.

Crestfallen, she turned and looked at the ponies who looked back with hope in their eyes. She swallowed hard and returned to the task. In a few moments she saw her dilemma. Though the first six latches fell easily to a person with two hands, she would need at least nine hands to hold up and support various parts of the latch while she worked with other segments. "String," she said aloud, startling her audience. "I need string." The ponies looked back at her sadly.

"We have no string," Twilight said.

In dismay, the ponies pawed at the floor with tiny hooves. Suddenly, Applejack whinnied in an equine interpretation of laughter. "No, we don't have string, but the hair in our tails and manes is strong."

Each pony insisted on donating one long hair from mane or tail and within minutes, Megan held seven strands of hair; two brilliant white, one cream-colored, one dark gray, one jet black, one chestnut and one bluish gray. She tackled the latch yet again, knotting each hair around a separate piece of the latch to keep it from snapping shut until, with a loud click, it finally opened.

This time, there were no cheers from the ponies, but they held their breath in eager anticipation. Soundlessly, the door opened inward revealing a large, dark room with bare, stone walls. Nobody moved.

After a moment, Ember cleared her throat and spoke. "Are we going in?" They all blinked at each other in amazement. The empty room seemed something of an anticlimax.

Cautiously, Megan stepped into the room, and moments later, the seven ponies walked in behind her, the sound of little hooves on the stone floor echoing off the walls and ceiling. A few moment's inspection confirmed their suspicions. The room held no secrets.

Suddenly, the door swung shut behind them leaving them in stygian darkness. With cries of surprise and fear, they all stumbled toward the door in the dark and tried to open it, but there was no latch from inside the room. They were trapped.

With everybody talking at once, Twilight tried to restore some semblance of order and calm. "Sisters! Sisters! Nothing can be done with all this racket. Please!"

Within moments the only noise in the room was the breathing of seven ponies and one frightened girl.

"That's better," Twilight responded. "Now, Starlight, please?"

Starlight snorted in the dark. "Now that I can concentrate without everybody talking at once." Moments later, a small unicorn's horn glowed comfortingly in the dark. It did not push the darkness away completely, but its glow brought some comfort.

The light revealed the tall figure of an old man in a simple brown robe and coarse wooden staff. "Who enters my room?" he asked. Megan and the ponies stared back in stunned surprise.

The man strode over to Megan and looked down at her. "Hooves could not have manipulated my locks. You are the one responsible."

Megan swallowed hard and looked up at the man towering over her. "Yes, sir," she said meekly.

Twilight started to speak up in Megan's defense, but she was hushed by a stern look from the robed man.

"There is a price to be paid for disturbing my repose. You will make a choice. You may return to your world outside of the globe, safe and sound, and the ponies will pay a price for their intrusion. They will wear my bit and my bridle. I will strip them of speech and mind and they will pull my carriage. They will be mine forever. I have it in my power to do this." He struck the floor of the room with his staff and a horrible brilliance revealed the room with amazing clarity.

The man continued, ignoring the cries of indignation and horror from the ponies. "Or you can pay the price and the ponies can go free."

Megan swallowed hard, turned and looked at the ponies. The seven stared back at her. Megan looked at Twilight and Starlight and choked at the mental image of them pulling this man's carriage. She thought of Firefly and Medley, their wings clipped and denied the wonder of flight. She looked at Ember, Bowtie and Applejack and saw them enslaved in bits and bridles denied the ability to reason as well as speak. She turned back to the man.

"What's the price?"

"That's for me to decide after you make your decision," he said sternly.

Megan blinked back tears. "Then I'll pay your stupid price," she said fiercely. "Let the ponies go."

The man cocked an eyebrow in surprise. "Are you sure? I'll ask again. You could go free and never worry about or think about or see these ponies again. They would have no memory of your treason or that you ever existed."

Megan stood tall, her back straight, her determination firm. "But I would remember. Let the ponies go. I'll pay your price."

The man smiled.

"And that," he said with a gentle laugh, "was the correct answer.

"Megan, my name is Dubricius. I have waited a long time for you."



Later, Megan and Dubricius sat on the lawn outside the castle under the dizzyingly multicolored sky. He had asked the ponies to allow them some privacy as he wanted to talk to Megan alone. Now, Firefly and Medley chased each other through the air while the others cropped grass together. All, that is, except Ember who had fallen asleep with her head on Megan's lap. Megan had to suppress giggles at Ember's gentle snoring.

"There is so much that I want to tell you, Megan," Dubricius was saying. "Where the ponies came from, why I am their guardian and how that guardianship was transferred to you, but my time is short.

"You must go back to your world and you must take the ponies with you. They can stay here no longer. There are those who know about the castle and its secrets."

"But I'm only eleven-years-old," Megan said. "You make it sound like they are in danger. How can I protect them? I don't have any magical powers."

Dubricius smiled back at her and chuckled. "Magic? Who needs magic when you have wonder? Anyway, you dealt with me quite well. I think you have the courage and creativity to deal with other challenges quite effectively. Therein lies a special type of magic."

He squeezed her shoulder. "Megan, you have strength you do not even understand yet. And the ponies are not completely helpless."

"But what are they? Who are they? Why don't they remember who they are?"

"There are some wonders that you must discover for yourself, but I will give you a thought." Dubricius smiled, leaned closer and whispered in Megan's ear. "Though they don't remember, and that for good reason, their real names are Alcyone, Celaeno, Electra, Maia, Merope, Asterope and Taygeta."

Megan looked at him with a puzzled expression. "But those names mean nothing to me."

"They will, my dear. Someday they will. Until then, the seven sisters are under your guardianship.

"Goodbye, my dear, and remember to walk the Wood of the Worlds."

Megan gasped as suddenly her vision inverted and she seemed to be looking at Dubricius through the wrong end of a telescope. She blinked and she was laying on her bed in her own room, staring at the castle in the globe. Faintly, she seemed to see two small motes flying around one of the turrets.

She heard Aunt Constance calling from downstairs. "Megan? Have you spent all morning in your room? It's lunch time."

Megan didn't respond, but stared at the castle. Slowly, she turned and took an old spelling bee trophy from its place on her bureau drawer. "I hope I know what I'm doing," she said outloud to nobody in particular. She brought the trophy down on the globe as hard as she could.



Aunt Constance sat the lunch table with mathematical precision, her mind formulating to-do lists and balancing the times it would take to accomplish the rest of the day's responsibilities.

The noise upstairs was an unwelcome intrusion. She paused, a diner plate in hand, and listened for what sounded like a stampede upstairs.

With a snort of indignation, she walked into the foyer to order some peace and quiet from Megan, just in time to see a small horse jump over the upstairs banister, spread wings that gently brushed against both sides of the room and gracefully land in front of her without so much as a sound.

"Hello," it said.

Aunt Constance stared back in surprise. Sounds came from her throat, but coherence was lost in the astonishment of the moment.

Suddenly, in a stampede of hooves, the stairway was filled with ponies, some with horns, another winged pony in their midst. They surrounded her and looked up at her with laughing pony faces.

"Hello," they were all saying at once.

Suddenly, Megan appeared in front of her, tears of joy streaming down her cheeks. "Look, Aunt Constance. Aren't they wonderful? I've been made their guardian."

The dinner plate in Aunt Constance's hand slipped from nerveless fingers, struck the hardwood floor and shattered into a hundred pieces.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Opting for a democratic solution to the problem of who should be queen, the Princess Ponies have consented to run for election. To help acquaint everyone with the qualifications of each Princess, My Little Pony Monthly interviewed Princesses Royal Blue, Tiffany, Primrose, Starburst, Sparkle, and Serena. Following are the questions asked, and the responses given. Cast your vote by e-mailing Tabby at TabbyMLP@aol.com

-Tabby



A good pony queen must be kind, considerate, compassionate, and interested in her subject ponies. What have you personally done in this area?



Royal Blue: I loaned by diamond tiara to Sparkle for the last New Year's Eve party; that was very kind and considerate of me because that tiara is my very favorite!



Tiffany: When Royal Blue ran out of nail polish, I flew to the Perm Shoppe to pick up a new bottle for her.



Starburst: Why just last week I donated ten jangles to Ponytown to help provide food and clothes to orphan ponies.



Sparkle: I was walking along the path one day when I met a poor, homeless pony. I took him home and fed him a good meal.



Serena: Last December, I organized a clothing drive to benefit all the poor ponies of Ponyland. Thanks to many generous ponies, the Bushwoolies and I were able to deliver clean, warm clothing to everyone in need.



Primrose: I am proud to say that when Serena was collecting things for the poor, I donated all my costume jewelry.



Fairness is also a necessary ability for the pony queen. She must be able to judge wisely and make good decisions. How have you shown this ability in your past experiences?



Royal Blue: When we repainted the walls in the grand ballroom, we couldn't decide whether to go with white or yellow. So I flipped a coin-- heads won for white.



Tiffany: Once when Starburst was having a party, she came to me and asked which of her two dresses looked best on her. I was quick to point out to her that the royal purple gown went perfectly with her gorgeous hair.



Starburst: As last summer's festival, I was one of the judges for the high-dive competition and was extremely fair by giving each contestant a "5".



Sparkle: Tiffany and Starburst were arguing over who was prettier, and I told them they were each equally beautiful (considering what they had to work with!).



Serena: When the Troggles and the Grundles both claimed the Rainbow River Valley, I brought the two sides together and helped them to resolve their differences.



Primrose: This is rather embarrassing but I once put on Pumpkin Orange nail polish; but upon looking at myself in the mirror I decided it did not look right at all, so I wisely judged to wear Appleblossom Pink instead.



A pony queen must have high intelligence to be able to handle the affairs of her subjects. Please tell us about your education.



Royal Blue: I am proud to say that I graduated from Dark Forest High School with a "B" average.



Tiffany: My parents sent me to a private beauty school, and I was voted the Most Beautiful Pony of 1986.



Starburst: As a matter of fact, I went to beauty school with Tiffany; of course, I completed the program in six months whereas it took her a full year.



Sparkle: I received my degree from Ponyland Vocational School in Princess Etiquette.



Serena: I have always been interested in the world and its affairs and studied hard during my years at Pony Pride University, graduating with high honors.



Primrose: Actually, I never quite graduated from Dark Forest High. It was just that the dissection unit it biology was too gross, so I never completed that course.



Poise, assurance of manner, and gracious tact are critical of any queen in her day-to-day handling of matters of state. Have you demonstrated these traits?



Royal Blue: When Jabber and Jebber were fighting over a piece of candy, I told them to shut-up and go home.



Tiffany: In last month's fashion show, I modeled the sapphire blue evening gown in high heels; I was able to go down the runway and back without tripping or falling.



Starburst: When Wishful accidentally misplaced my magic wand, I did not loose my cool but simply explained to him that if he did not recover the wand by nightfall, I would ban him from the Royal Paradise for the rest of his life!



Sparkle: I inadvertently made dates for the same evening with both 4-Speed and Salty. They arrived at the same time and without batting an eye I simply informed them that I wanted two escorts to the party that night, and tossed my mane flippantly as we walked off companionably to the dance.



Serena: Thinking back to the Mouse Mayor's visit, I arranged for his welcoming ceremony, delivered the opening speech, and participated in all the affairs of state required by that momentous occasion.



Primrose: As a Princess Pony, there is nothing I do that is not poised, assured, and gracious.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

PONY OF THE MONTH
Lemon Treats
(yellow earth pony with green/white hair and slices of cake on rump)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A Glimpse In Time
by Tabby


"Aww, it's locked!" Lemon Treats sighed, disappointed. She was busy cleaning the attic of Paradise Estate, and had just come across an ancient-looking wooden case with gold hinges. "Well, I'll take it downstairs. Maybe I can find something to open it with down there." So she lugged it down the stairs and set it on the kitchen table.

Lemon Treats rummaged through the junk drawer, hoping to find something useful to open the case. In one of the back corners she found a heavy, ornately carved old-fashioned key. "Looks like just the thing," she said happily. She inserted the key into the case's keyhole and held her breath. To her delight, it worked! She eagerly lifted the lid and looked inside. A diary! Lemon Treats snatched it up.

A ragged edge revealed that the page that had once shown the name of the owner had been torn out of the diary. The entries told of earlier days in Ponyland, from the year 1910. Whoever had kept it had lived a happy, carefree life; her days were filled with studies, afternoon teas, and formal dances.

Suddenly, Lemon Treats' heart skipped a beat as the entries became more personal. She settled into the corner of the sofa and read as if mesmerized:



February 14, 1910

I met the most handsome stallion at the Valentine Ball tonight! I was talking with Pansy and Teardrop when he walked in. I was staring at him; and when he looked my way and caught my eye, he stopped and stared, too. Then he came to me, bowed, and asked, "Would the most beautiful pony in the world dance with me?" I blushed bright red, I'm sure, but we walked together to the dance floor and waltzed the rest of the night away. His name is Paladin. As we danced, we talked, and I felt like I'd known him forever. We like the same things and think the same thoughts. I have found my soul-mate! He walked me home, and kissed me gently on the cheek before Mother and Father came to the door to see me in. Oh, what a night! A perfect Valentine's Day- I'm so happy!



February 15, 1910

Paladin was waiting for me at the corner when I was on the way to my music lessons. He walked me the rest of the way there. And he had a flower for me, a red rose. He said I was prettier than any flower, but the rose was as close as he could come to my beauty. Oh, he is so wonderful! He waited for me to finish my lesson, then walked me to the ice cream parlor for a banana split which we shared. He walked with me back to the corner by my house, and he kissed my cheek again. Oh, my, I think I'm in love!



February 16, 1910

Pansy and Teardrop came by to invite me to go tobogganing this afternoon. Mother let me go if I promised to be home before dark. When we got to the corner, there was Paladin again. He asked if he could join our outing, and Pansy laughingly said he could if he pulled the toboggan. I think she likes Paladin, too, but he has eyes only for me. He and I walked side by side, following Pansy and Teardrop. We tobogganed all afternoon and then the four of us went to the ice cream parlor for hot cocoa. Paladin bought me a box of fudge-- "for the sweetest girl he knew" --he said when he gave it to me. He walked me as far as the corner. Mother was getting worried because it was nearly dark.



February 17, 1910

Paladin was at the corner this morning when I went to the store to get groceries for Mother. He walked with me to the store and helped me make my purchases. Grocery shopping was never such fun! He carried the bag home as far as the corner, then asked if I would be able to get away from Mother and Father later tonight to walk with him through the park. I promised him I'd try. After supper, I told Mother I had a headache and went up to my room early. Then I went down the back stairs and slipped out the back door to meet Paladin at the corner. Together we went to the park and walked the paths; even if the evening was cold and crisp, I felt warm and snug with Paladin at my side. We talked and shared dreams and sat in the gazebo on the bench side by side. Paladin handed me a box with a purple ribbon around it. I opened it, and, oh, it was a gorgeous diamond necklace! I've never seen anything so elegant. He said I'd have many more diamonds and jewels if only I'd run away with him to some other place. He promised me he'd treat my like a queen! Oh how I wanted to say yes, but I had to think about it. I'd have to confide in Mother; I couldn't just disappear. But he said not to mention it to anyone. He needed my decision tonight. But I couldn't just leave like that. So he walked me to the corner; he told me to keep the necklace and kissed me on the cheek. But something was different. I felt cold and empty as I snuck back in the house.



February 18, 1910

Teardrop came by this afternoon. She was all excited because Pansy was no where to be seen today; she had disappeared in the night. Her clothes and trunk were gone. No one knows where she went. Or why. I think I know, though. Paladin wasn't at the corner, either.



February 19, 1910

No sign of Pansy or Paladin again today. How can my world crash so suddenly? I thought he loved me as much as I loved him.



February 20, 1910

Teardrop got a letter from Pansy today. She is with Paladin and he has promised her a life of riches and glamour far from Ponyland. She said she probably won't have time to write again.



February 21, 1910

I put the diamond necklace that Paladin gave me in a wooden box today and as soon as the ground thaws enough to dig, I'm going to bury it under the lilac bush out behind the house. I hope by doing that I can put the memory of Paladin behind me. Then I can continue my life from the point before he entered it, and start over again. If anyone ever finds this diary, they are free to claim the necklace as their own. For whoever that might be, the necklace would not be tainted with the memory of Paladin for them as it is for me.



That was the last entry. Lemon Treats sighed and just sat there awhile, holding the diary and staring at the cover. "It's so sad," she said to herself after contemplating it. "But, I wonder if I could find that necklace!"

So she strolled outside and looked around Paradise Estate. "There are TONS of lilac bushes!" she exclaimed. "I'd never be able to find the one she buried the necklace under! Maybe I missed something in the diary." She went back inside and re-read the diary carefully, but still Lemon Treats couldn't find any clue as to which lilac bush the necklace was buried under.

"I'll never find it," Lemon Treats sighed. "And I really wanted to-- it sounds so beautiful!" She placed the diary back in the case, but just as she was about to close the lid she noticed the velvet lining was turned back in one corner.

Lemon Treats gasped excitedly. The lining wasn't fastened down tightly! She stuck her hoof underneath and pulled out a yellowed piece of paper, and the crumbled remains of a red rose.

"Yes! It's a map!" Lemon Treats exclaimed after she had carefully unfolded the paper. She studied it. It showed the location of a lilac bush growing near the river. A rock was next to the bush and the necklace was buried between the two things. A note off to the side of the paper said an "X" had been scratched into the rock to mark the spot.

Lemon Treats anxiously trotted outside and found a shovel. Then she headed down to the river. She walked along the shore and soon found a lilac bush next to a large rock. "This must be it!" she exclaimed, and inspected the rock. "Hmm... but there's no "X" on it..." Lemon Treats started to dig anyway.

After digging a few minutes she felt tired, and sat down on the rock to rest.

Then Friendly the Bushwoolie walked by. "Hi, Lemon Treats!" he greeted her. "What you doing?"

Lemon Treats sighed wearily, still tired from digging. "Well, see, Friendly, it's like this..." she explained the whole story to him.

Friendly paused and thought for awhile. Then he hopped over to the rock and started pulling grass and dirt away from it.

"Look! There's the "X"!" Lemon Treats exclaimed after Friendly had been at it for awhile. "The necklace is definitely here!"

"I dig some more," Friendly said, grabbing the shovel and digging in the hole Lemon Treats had started. Then the shovel made a clicking sound.

"Did you hear that?" Lemon Treats asked excitedly. Friendly nodded and continued to dig. Lemon Treats worked with her hooves. Soon they had uncovered a rough wooden box. They hoisted it out of the hole.

"Lid nailed on," Friendly pointed out after looking at the box.

"I'll pry them out with the shovel," Lemon Treats said and worked at it. Soon the lid was off.

"There's a sack in here!" Lemon Treats lifted it out and reached her hoof in. She pulled out-- the necklace!

"Isn't it gorgeous?" breathed Lemon Treats, fascinated. She was holding it up in the sunlight; it sparkled and sent out rainbows of color.

"Yes, very pretty," Friendly agreed. He looked at the glittering necklace and added, "Like frost on sunny winter morning."

"Thanks for your help!" Lemon Treats told Friendly, and he hopped off cheerfully.

Lemon Treats went back into Paradise Estate. She sat down on the couch and opened the diary again, and re-read all the entries about Paladin.

A tear fell from her eye and dropped on the dazzling necklace. Lemon Treats silently sat there, thinking. Suddenly she knew what she had to do.

She walked back outside to the river, and, in the dusk light, reburied the diamond necklace where it had rested before.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Survey


What is the most you think a foreign pony is worth?

E-mail Tabby at TabbyMLP@aol.com. Results in next issue.



Last month's-

"Which pony would you most like to be?"



cthomas@wsunix.wsu.edu-

Which pony would I most want to be like? Well, Little Flitter of course!!



LSflip@aol.com-

If I could be any of the ponies, I'd most want to be one of the newborn twins because they're cute, and because I've always been interested in twins.



Iriswing@aol.com-

I'd like to be the pony I invented earlier:

Iris wing- White windy wing, hair like Gingerbread's, rainbow wings, red, blue, and green flying doves as symbol.



Sharnox@aol.com-

I'd like to be Rosedust. She is beautiful and delicate, like a fairy, and she can fly with those beautiful opalescent wings.



MeryTreat@aol.com-

The Pony I would love to be the most, would be the '98 pony, ... Light Heart!^_^ She is so pretty and it would be cool to have a bed like that!

Katie(MeryTreat)



Cymbryana@aol.com-

My daughter would most like to be Bon Bon, from the MLP Tales. She loves the episode where Bon Bon dreams of becoming a fashion model, which is Ashley's dream also.

---Nicole & Ashley



JDJP62B@prodigy.com-

If I could be any MLP I would be either... Morning Glory{flutter pony}, Rosedust{queen of flutter ponies}or Gingerbread {jeweled eyed pony}.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I'll Never Give Up
Sequel to Friends Forever
By Shining (ddonnell@iserv.net)


"Nice form!" Shining smiled at the jet black stallion. "But I think that you could have gotten a couple more inches in height if you had collected a split second later."

"You're right," handsome Signature Required agreed, trotting over to where his delicate bay mate stood at the rail. "I was just anticipating the jump, so I took off too early."

Signature and Shining had known and trained together since they were both four-year-olds. Now, three years later, they were the best performing couple in the world. Not only did they compete together, but two years ago, they got married. Now, Signature and Shining were the parents of two exquisite foals; On My Honor and In A Moment.

"Should I try it again?" Signature asked.

Shining nodded, "I would if I were you. But this time take your time. Here, let me show you." Shining entered the arena and began in a graceful canter. She circled the arena once and faced the triple oxer.

Signature watched with a look of admiration on his face. He had never known anyone with so much heart and talent.

"Okay," Shining called, "watch how I pause right before the jump to collect." Shining loped toward the jump, her hooves barely touching the ground. Right before the immense obstacle, Shining hesitated for the slightest moment and took off.

To Signature, it seemed that Shining could hang in the air forever. He held his breath. When Shining's forelegs touched the ground, Signature expelled the air he had been holding. She was so beautiful.

Shining trotted over to the rail and Signature met her with a deep kiss. Shining had a look of pleasant surprise on her face and she gave him the quiet smile that Signature had fallen in love with three years ago. "Shining, I love you," Signature whispered.

Shining nodded and opened her mouth to speak. But the tender moment was interrupted when the twins came running over to their parents.

"Mama, Moment's going over to play with Baby Racer. Can I visit Baby Gusty?" Honor looked up at her parents pleadingly.

Signature chuckled. "Of course you can go, Honey."

Shining nodded, "Just tell Sweetie that I said hi."

"Okay!" Honor skipped off with her twin brother to Dream Valley.

When the babies had left, Signature sighed deeply. "They're growing up fast," he commented.

"Yes," Shining said. "We should enroll them in Ms. Hackney's class next year."

"What else do you want to practice today?" Signature asked, changing the subject.

"How about ground work?"

"Sure," Signature said easily. "Oh! I forgot completely! Lacey is coming to the barn in twenty minutes to watch us."

Shining made a face. Lacey had tried to come between Signature and Shining when they had begun training together. "Then let's do jumping instead."

Signature laughed. "Whatever you want, Shining-girl."

Soon they were galloping together around the ring with grace. Lacey stood under the shade of an apple tree haughtily watching them. Signature glanced over at Shining as she took a water jump delightedly, and loved her even more.

Signature took off for a triple oxer with Shining right behind him. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Honor and Moment galloping toward the arena. Signature landed and galloped off.

Suddenly, a blood curdling scream pierced the air. Signature's head popped up in surprise. A split second later, Signature heard the terrible shatter as Shining crashed into the triple oxer. Signature's heart leapt to his throat as he rushed over to the accident.

"Mama!" Moment and Honor cried.

Signature reached Shining's side. Her face was contorted with pain. "Signature," Shining whispered.

"Sshh, Shining," Signature choked back tears. "Just tell me what hurts."

Shining groaned weakly. "Everything hurts. Help me, Signature......." Shining closed her eyes.

Signature took a deep breath and gently kissed Shining's forehead. "Okay, Baby, it'll be okay."

Signature stepped back to view the damage. The jump had been completely demolished. Shining was sprawled in the center of it. Deep cuts marred her perfect coat. Signature gasped in horror. Shining's right foreleg was twisted and bent in an unnatural position. Bone protruded from the skin. Blinking back tears, Signature looked away.

Signature turned to the rail where Lacey and the twins stood. The twins stood frozen in terror. "Lacey! Call an ambulance! Hurry!" Signature called. Lacey dashed off.

Uncertainly, Moment and Honor crept toward Signature. "Is Mama going to be okay?" Moment asked.

Signature nodded with more confidence than he actually felt. "Mama's going to be fine, Moment."

"Good. Because we didn't mean to hurt her," Honor said. And then she burst into tears.

Signature was shocked. "Honor, what made you think that it was your fault?"

Moment, on the verge of tears explained, "We were running over from Dream Valley, and Lacey thought we were charging her. We wouldn't do that, Daddy, honest! And Lacey screamed. When you ran over to Mama, Lacey got real mad and told us that we hurt Mama!" Moment began sobbing.

Anger boiled inside of Signature. "Babies, listen to me; this isn't your fault. Lacey is a mean-hearted horse. This is Lacey's fault. Okay?"

Moment and Honor nodded.

"Good. Now, I need you to go get cleaned up and go over to Baby Gusty's again. I'll call when Mama's feeling better," Signature comforted the twins.

After the twins had scampered off, Signature turned once more to Shining. Her breathing had become shallow and fast. Signature stroked Shining's side gently, tears streaming down his handsome face. "Oh, Shining-girl. Don't leave me. Can't you see that I can't live without you?"

An ambulance wailed and pulled to a halt outside the arena. The volunteer rescuers from Dream Valley-- Wigwam and Baby Gusty's father, Chief-- leaped out. "Signature! What happened?" Chief cried.

Lost for words, Signature closed his eyes and tried to find his voice. Peering past Signature, Chief groaned. "Shining." Signature nodded mutely. Chief put a shoulder around his friend, "I'm so sorry, Signature."

Wigwam took charge. "Signature. She's unconscious now. When was the last time she was awake?"

Finding his voice, Signature hoarsely said, "About twenty minutes ago."

"All right. Tell me exactly what happened."

Signature closed his eyes, remembering the nightmare, his throat catching. "We-we were practicing and Lacey screamed. I had just jumped the triple oxer and Shining was right behind me. She crashed into it in midair."

"How high was the jump?" Wigwam asked.

"Five foot four."

Chief, who had hooked Shining up to oxygen and was checking her pulse, groaned. "Five four, triple oxer," he murmured.

"Okay, Signature, we're going to put Shining on a stretcher and take her to the hospital. I'll drive, and you can ride in back with her and Chief," Wigwam explained.

Shining was loaded into the ambulance. The siren screeched and the ambulance made its way to the Dream Valley Hospital.



Signature was worried. When they had arrived at the hospital, Shining had been whisked away before Signature could inquire where. A friendly nurse had suggested that he might wait out in the waiting room until the doctor came with news of her condition.

Dr. Rosedust had appeared once to ask permission from Signature to perform surgery. That was eight hours ago.

After Shining had been admitted into the hospital, Signature had called over to Baby Gusty's house to make sure that the twins were okay. Baby Gusty and Shining had always had a special relationship. Although Baby Gusty wasn't much of a baby anymore, her childhood nickname had stuck with her even through college.

Then Signature had called Lacey. "How could you have done something so stupid, Lacey?"

"I thought that those little savages were going to attack me!" Lacey defended herself.

"Those ‘little savages' are my foals! And frankly, I'm very proud of them!" Signature roared.

"Well--"

"Lacey, right from the day I met you, I knew that you were trouble. You've always been jealous of Shining and me, trying to break us up and forcing me to tour with you. But this time, it's gone way too far!" Signature cried.

"Yes, but everyone falls now and then; how do you know that it was because I screamed?" Lacey reasoned lamely.

"Lacey, I don't think you realize how much irreversible damage you've done! Shining is on the verge of death because of you. Moment and Honor are crushed because you blamed them for this. If you ever dare to show your face at Glorified Acres again, I'll take care of you myself!" With that, Signature hung up the phone in disgust.

Signature sighed. So many emotions were building up inside him. Anger, worry, hopelessness, despair. The only one he had ever loved; the only one he could ever love, could leave him.......... Sitting it the notoriously uncomfortable hospital chair, Signature drifted off into a nightmarish sleep.

".......Signature? Signature. Wake up. Shining is finished with surgery."

Signature woke up with a start and jumped to his feet. "Shining!" he cried, still half in his dream. Signature blinked and looked around dazed.

Dr. Rosedust smiled understandingly. "Shining just got out of surgery ten minutes ago."

Signature was afraid to ask, but he had to know, "H-how is she?"

Dr. Rosedust shook her head. Signature's heart sank. "Her right foreleg was completely shattered, Signature. I pieced it together as best as I could. But I'm afraid that she won't walk without a limp, that is, if she ever walks again."

Signature felt sick. He sat down again.

"Signature, that's not the worst. She's suffered severe head injuries. We don't know yet to what extent, and if there was any brain damage," Rosedust frowned in concern.

"No, please, not my Shining," Signature whispered. He tried hard to keep the tears that were welling up in his eyes from falling. "Rosedust, is she going to be all right?"

Dr. Rosedust shrugged her shoulders. "It's hard to say. She's a fighter, but you have to remember how much she's been through, sustaining such a fall and then undergoing major surgery."

"Where is she? Can I see her?" Signature asked.

"She's on the third floor in Intensive Care. You can go up there and the nurse will send you to her room," Dr. Rosedust replied.

When Signature entered Shining's room, the clean, antiseptic smell almost made him sick. The small figure of Shining seemed even more frail in the white sheets of the hospital bed. Machines whirred and beeped around her.

Signature barely breathed as he approached the bed. "Shining-girl. What will I do without you?" Shining didn't answer. Emotions finally overcame him and Signature laid his head down beside Shining's, and sobbed.

The next morning, Signature found himself in a bed beside Shining. Groggily, he sat up and studied Shining for any change from the night before. With a heavy heart, he had to admit to himself that Shining hadn't improved at all overnight.

Dr. Rosedust walked in and smiled at Signature. "Good news," she announced. "We got the CAT scans back, and there doesn't seem to be any brain damage. But still, she has a very severe concussion."

Signature breathed a sigh of relief. "So she has a better chance?"

Dr. Rosedust nodded. "I'm pretty confident about that."

Signature smiled wearily. "Thank you, Dr. Rosedust."

Rosedust nodded again and left the room.

Signature turned to Shining again and kissed her on the forehead right on her perfect white star. He had kissed her four years before for the first time in the exact same spot.

Signature began walking to the door to call Baby Gusty when he heard a small sigh. Abruptly he turned and stood at Shining's side again. He held his breath.

Shining's eyelids flickered as she struggled to regain consciousness. "Signature," she breathed.

"Shining-girl. I'm here, Shining. I won't leave," Signature murmured.

A small smile crept onto Shining's pale face. "I know. You won't leave me. I know." Shining slowly opened her eyes.

"Hi, Beautiful," Signature whispered.

Shining tried to laugh, but stopped immediately, discovering her broken ribs. "How bad is it, Signature?"

Signature's brow creased in concern. "You had a pretty bad fall, Baby. A severe concussion, broken ribs, lacerations," Signature paused, "Shining, your right foreleg. When you fell, it was shattered. Rosedust tried her hardest to set it back together, but she says that if you do walk again, it won't be without a limp. It's going to be painful, Shining-girl."

Tears welled up in Shining's eyes. "No more training, no more competitions."

Signature shook his head. "Don't think about that now. Think about getting better. You won't give up, will you?"

Shining smiled ruefully, "No, Signature, I'll never give up."

Overcome with love for Shining, Signature tried to find word to describe his feelings, "Shining, I- you- we......." Shining smiled quietly. Signature gave up and tenderly kissed Shining. After Signature had pulled away from Shining, he found his words. "Without you in my life Shining, I don't know what I'd do. I could never let you go. I love you so very much."

Shining painfully nodded. "Signature, I love you."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

PUZZLES


Spike enjoys word puzzles and wants to share some with you. Decipher the hidden meaning of the following sets of words:



EXAMPLE: HARD Answer-

x AHEAD Hard times ahead.

--------------



a. Me Quit



b. R R R R

U U U U

O O O O

H H H H



c. Jan. Feb. Mar.

---------------------

Due



d. PIKES PEAK

MIDNIGHT

TEX



e. GOOD LAST

GOOD LAST



Answers are at the end of the issue.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Mystery of the Bunny-Pony
By Clever Clover


Clever Clover was enjoying a pleasant walk through the meadows of Dream Valley one fine spring day when he noticed a crowd of ponies up ahead. As he drew near, he heard the sound of crying. The ponies were standing in a circle around some unseen object. Clever Clover made his way through the crowd to see what the commotion was about. To his surprise, he found nothing more than a little pink bunny peacefully nibbling on the grass.

"What's all the crying for?" Clever Clover asked.

"It's Tabby!" Bowtie sobbed. "A strange-looking blue hedgehog ran up, bopped her on the head and poof, she turned into a bunny!"

Clever Clover sighed, "You've been playing too many video games. You should spend more time outside, playing sports or something."

"But it's the truth!" whined Sugarberry. "I saw it with my own eyes!"

"It even has Tabby's horn and kittens," pointed out Wind Whistler, the only pony present who wasn't crying. "It's all very interesting."

Clever Clover inspected the bunny closer and saw that it did indeed have a tiny whorled horn projecting between its ears and the image of two kittens on its rump. "I think I know what's going on here," he said. "You keep an eye on Tabby; I'll see about putting things right." With that Clever Clover trotted off toward the Dark Forest.

Once he was deep in the woods, out of sight of the green fields of Dream Valley, he called out, "Bic! Come out, you imp! I know you're around here somewhere, Bic!"

In a puff of smoke, a little man with pointed ears and a red cap appeared on a branch high above Clever Clover's head. "Why, if it isn't Clever Clover; I wasn't expecting to find you here. Did you get bored with Friendship Gardens like I did?"

"You didn't get bored, Bic. I ran you out, remember?"

"You cheated me is what you mean!" the imp screeched. "And cheaters bore me."

"I didn't cheat you. You challenged me and I won, fair and square."

"Badminton is hardly a fair test, little pony. If we'd had a contest of riddles, I'd surely have beaten you!"

"Well, why don't I give you a chance to prove it. We'll have a contest of riddles; if I win, you undo everything you've done in Dream Valley and leave it forever."

"And if I win?" asked the imp, slyly.

"I really don't think we're going to have to worry about that."

Bic scoffed, "We're awfully full of ourselves, aren't we? If I win, you will never bother me again, I will play with the ponies of Dream Valley as long as I like, and you will not tell anyone about me!"

"Sounds fair. Shall I give the first riddle or shall you?"

"Since I have such a great advantage, I'll let you go first," said the imp, smugly.

"Very well, here goes: What does a spoiled child say when a game's not going his way?"

Bic laughed, "Please, little pony, couldn't you have tried a little harder? That's so easy, I quit! So there!"

Clever Clover grinned, "Very well, if you quit, then I win; now turn Tabby back and leave Dream Valley forever."

"That's not what I meant!" Bic cried in outrage.

"If you didn't mean it you shouldn't have said it; now be gone."

"You tricked me, little pony! It's not fair!"

"You wanted a challenge on your turf, trickster. I out-tricked you; now you've got to live up to your end of the bargain and leave."

"Very well, little pony, I'll leave but don't think you've seen the last of me. I may be banished from Friendship Gardens and Dream Valley, but if you ever leave these sanctuaries, watch your back!" And with that the imp disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"I'll be ready, Bic; I always am."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Did You Know...
By Sugarberry & Tabby


The spring and summer JC Pony catalog is out and the Sweetheart Sisters have been poring over its pages by the hour. Sunsplasher especially likes the swimwear, while Wild Flower is caught up in the dresses. Bright Night says she wants one of each on page 49. Looks like it will be another fashionable season in Ponyland!



During last weeks' record snowfall, Eager, feeling sorry for the birds and woodland animals, had gone out from the Bushwoolie hole to spread seeds and nuts under the sheltering branches of the pine trees. When finished, he turned to head back to the Bushwoolie hole; but he stopped in astonishment for so much snow had fallen as he worked that he couldn't see his way back. Everywhere he looked was solid white; all the landmarks were buried under this cold, ever-thickening blanket; his own tracks, too, were gone from sight.

But we have a happy ending to report as Spike had been visiting the Bushwoolies when the storm began, and at this moment had grown concerned about Eager. When Spike worked his way out of the hole and saw the extent of the snowfall, he knew Eager was in trouble. But what problem is snow to a fire-breathing dragon? Spike knew that Eager had headed for the pine trees, so he began blazing a trail in that direction. Over and over again, Spike melted the snow in his path, and slowly worked his way toward the evergreens which were the one thing visible in the pristine wonderland of white.

By this time, Eager, who had the good sense to stay put under the pine trees, could make out the approach of Spike from the bursts of flame snaking in his direction. Soon, Spike himself became visible, and the next thing Eager knew, he and Spike were hugging in happiness. But they didn't dawdle as the snow continued to fall, and both were anxious to return to the comfort and warmth of the Bushwoolie hole.

When Spike and Eager finally scurried into the Bushwoolie hole, every Bushwoolie surrounded them sharing hugs and handshakes. The cold, shivering adventurers were bundled in warm blankets and given steaming mugs of hot apple cider. And they all stayed put until the snow finally came to an end.



Fizzy was heard to comment, "Every pony has a photographic memory; some just don't have film."



Sugarberry has just bought herself a pet cat! She liked Tabby's cat, Callie, so much, she decided to get one of her own. His name is Fluff; he is long-haired orange with white fur and gold eyes.



The Satin Slipper Sweet Shoppe introduced another new flavor last weekend called Chocolate Chip Fudge Melt Hot Cocoa Ice Cream. This tasty confection has attracted many new and long-time customers to the shop. Every pony has had only good remarks to say about the fabulous confection. Bon Bon, who has gained five pounds since her first taste of the calorie laden masterpiece, contentedly remarked, "Chocolate IS the other major food group."



Lucky asked, "What's the definition of ‘laughing stock'?" Baby Shady was quick to respond-- "Cattle with a sense of humor."



A surprise birthday party was held Sunday for Friendly. Because of Friendly's intense love of computer games, the gathering was held at The Cyber Cafe. Everyone had a super time.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Brightblade Warpony
An Epic


Recorded by Clipper as Dictated by the bard Ramon


Chapter 5


As the ponies enjoyed their picnic, Brightblade briefly recounted the beginning of his tale, leaving out those details he thought too disturbing for the other ponies. As Firefly laid out dessert, Brightblade continued his narration.



My first memory when I awoke was a soothing voice. "Don't worry," it said. "You will be fine." Then I began to move, though not under my own power. Someone put a bottle of bitter liquid to my lips and I drank. It calmed my stomach and I was able to sleep peacefully as my unseen benefactors carried me to my as of yet unknown destination.

When I awoke I found myself lying on fresh, green grass under an airy pavilion. A cool breeze rustled the canvas dome. There was a plate of nut cakes and a cup of water nearby and I ate and drank. Shortly after I had finished my meal, a female rat entered the pavilion. "Ah, you're awake," she said. I recognized her voice as that of my rescuer. "And I see you've finished your refreshments," she went on. "I'll get some more and tell Ramon that you are up."

"Thank you," I said, not knowing what to make of my situation. A short time later Ramon and the other rat returned carrying a plate of fruit and a cup of water.

"I'm glad to see you're feeling better," Ramon said. "I'm sorry about what happened to you out there."

"It's all right, you did all that you could to help me," I assured him.

"But it was my fault, it was those mushrooms I foraged that made you sick."

"You couldn't have known," I said.

"But I could have, or should have. We rats are tough, we can eat almost anything. I should have realized that you could be more sensitive."

"It's okay, don't blame yourself. I'm alive and that's what's important."

"I guess you're right about that. By the way, I'd like to introduce you to Cassandra," Ramon said, turning to the other rat. "She is the daughter of the village chieftain, and she led the rescue party into the valley."

Cassandra bowed slightly. "When my father heard that you were in danger, he insisted that I lead the rescue personally."

"Why would your father be so concerned with my safety?" I asked.

"He is a seer," she explained. "He foresaw your quest some time ago. We have been preparing to aid you since then."

"What do you know of my quest?"

"You seek the Warrior's Horn in the Temple of Light so that you can save Ponyland, and more."

"More?"

"Yes, Ponyland is only the first step; if you do not stop the evil there it will not only consume Ponyland but the entire globe. You have a great destiny, Warpony, if only you have the courage to claim it. Now I will leave you to your refreshments. You are still too weak to walk; tomorrow I will show you around the village." Cassandra bowed deeply and left the pavilion.

"Would you like me to leave you also?" Ramon asked.

"No," I replied, "stay, tell me what happened, where we are."

Ramon recounted the events of the last two days, how he had found a village of rats just outside the valley, how he had led Cassandra's rescue party to where I had lain, and finally of the journey to the village where I recuperated. After Ramon finished his tale, I slept again.



When I awoke I found myself alone; the cup and plate had been removed as I slept. I stuck my head out the pavilion flap where I found two rats waiting for me. "Hello," one of them greeted me. "Cassandra asked us to bring you to her once you woke up, if you feel well enough."

"I'm fine, lead the way." Once out of the pavilion I was finally able to get a look at my surroundings. The pavilion had been erected near a large oak atop a high, grassy hill. The rats led me down the hill to where the village lay, nestled between two hills. To my left, some distance from the village, I could see the wall which surrounded the Valley of Thorns. Its architecture on this side of the valley was the same as on the other side.

The rats' village was a pleasant place. Their small whitewashed cottages with thatched roofs were separated by wide, grassy footpaths. The whole village was surrounded by a hedge of lilac bushes. In the middle of the village was a small pond. There was a large crowd around two figures standing on the shore of the pond. By the time we reached the lilac hedge, the crowd was beginning to disperse. My guides led me to the pond's edge where the two objects of the crowd's attention still stood, Ramon and Cassandra.

"Hello," I said.

"Hi," said Ramon.

"Good day, Warpony," Cassandra greeted.

"What was with the crowd?" I asked.

"Ramon was telling us the tale of your journey so far," Cassandra explained.

"I've found I have quite a knack for story telling, a skill that the villagers hold in high esteem," Ramon said, proudly.

"Yes," said Cassandra, "your friend has the tongue of a great bard. He is already very popular among my people.

"Now, would you like me to show you around the village?"

"Yes, thank you."



My tour of the village ended in front of a large house next to the pond. "This is my father's house," Cassandra explained. "He would like to meet you."

"And I would like to meet him."

"Wait here, I will get him."

Cassandra disappeared into the house. She returned several minutes later followed by two rats carrying a litter where a very old rat sat. They set the litter on the grass in front of me and the old rat spoke. "It is good that you have come," he said, weakly. "Your quest is of utmost importance. Please know that you will have whatever aid my people can render. Now I must rest, take me away." As the litter bearers took the old rat back into his home, he turned his head and said, "I am glad that I was able to meet you, Warpony. I feared my days would be fulfilled before you came to us."



When Brightblade reached this point in his tale, the picnic was over. "Oh. What happened next?" Sundance asked.

"Yes, what happened?" begged Firefly and Tabby.

"I'm afraid we haven't any more time to socialize at the moment," flame-maned Epona said. "We must be back to our quest."

"But you can't just leave your story unfinished," whined Tabby.

"Don't worry," said Brightblade Warpony. "Once my quest is finished, I'll tell you the rest of my tale; but first I have to find out how it ends."

Brightblade and Epona then made their goodbyes and continued on their journey.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mystery Pony


This month's Mystery Pony-

peach adult earth pony with white hair, blue heart with lace trim symbol

E-mail your answers to Tabby at TabbyMLP@aol.com.



Last month's-

The correct answer was Baby Princess Sparkle! The winners are:



csuitt@uci.edu-

The baby pony is Baby Princess Sparkle! She came with her own buggy.



rza@lancnews.infi.net-

This month's mystery pony is Baby Princess Sparkle.

Steph



jmatthys@ix.netcom.com-

Baby Princess Sparkle (not exactly sure if this is her official name)

Jenn



MST3KGypsy@earthling.net-

The mystery pony is the baby princess that came with the princess buggy.

~Gypsy



kogler@greatlakes.net-

Hi, that's an easy one Baby Princess Sparkle. The one that came with the Buggy.

Thanks,

~Ivy~



grand@vm.temple.edu-

The mystery My Little Pony is Baby Princess Sparkles.

Cathy



KimHMLP@aol.com-

It's Baby Sparkle, with the carriage!

-Kim v/_

~__/

/\ /\



MorabLS@aol.com-

Hi! The mystery baby pony is Baby Princess Sparkle! : )

~Lesley



MeryTreat@aol.com-

The answer is:Baby Princess Sparkle

Katie(MeryTreat)



alison@a.crl.com-

Okay, I know this pony came with the baby buggy, but I can't remember her name! I want to say Princess Sparkle.



AbiShort@aol.com-

Baby Princess Sparkle -- she's one of my faves. I remember when I was a little kid, I saved up my allowance for a month to buy her (it was a small allowance :-) ).

--Abigail

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A Friend in Need
by Sugarberry


"What a gorgeous day for a picnic," exclaimed Spunky as she bustled around the kitchen. She had just removed a perfectly browned peach pie from the oven and set it on the open windowsill to cool. Now she had to clean up the kitchen and wash the dirty dishes. Just as she stuck her hooves into the hot, sudsy water, the door swung open and a very sad-faced Oakly entered the room.

"Why so glum?" asked Spunky, smiling at her antlered friend.

Oakly groaned. "I had picked a big bunch of sweetcorn early this morning so we could eat it at our picnic. By then I was so warm and sweaty, I took a shower. Now when I went out to the garden to fetch the ears, they were gone!"

"Gone?" questioned Spunky. "Maybe Zig Zag brought it in for you."

"That's what I hoped had happened," sighed Oakly. "But I asked, and she didn't take it."
"Well, let's have another look," said Spunky as she headed out the door. On the way to the garden, they met Zig Zag who was definitely not in a good mood.

"This is disgusting," Zig Zag spat out. "I left my freshly picked strawberries for five minutes to look around the corn patch for Oakly's missing corn, only to find," and here Zig Zag stomped her hoof, "nothing. No corn, and no strawberries when I got back to the berry patch!"

"You've got to be kidding," both Spunky and Oakly exclaimed at the same time.

"I wish I were kidding," Zig Zag angrily answered. "All my back-breaking labor wasted on nothing."

After circling the corn patch and the strawberry patch one more time, the three friends returned to the kitchen.

"Cheer up, everyone," said Spunky. "At least we still have the peach pie to eat at the picnic." And she flourished her hoof toward the windowsill-- toward a very empty windowsill.

"Yikes!" screeched Spunky. "My pie!" She ran to the window, looking down to the ground in hopes of seeing the pie sitting there. But there was no sign of her beautiful pie.

"What's happening around here?" she asked of Oakly and Zig Zag, as a tear slowly slid down her pretty face.

"What are you guys doing standing around on this wonderful picnic day?" asked Kingsley as he arrived with a huge plate full of chocolate-chip cookies. "Let's get the food packed and be on our way."

"Yeah, let's move!" called Edgar from beyond the door. He was carrying an ice-cold jug of lemonade in his trunk.

Cha Cha entered the kitchen carrying a yummy-smelling spicecake with cream cheese frosting, followed by Creamsicle with her flaky crescent rolls, and Cutesaurus with a watermelon shell heaped high with melon balls, green and purple grapes, blueberries, and orange slices.

The newcomers stopped short when they saw the gloomy faces of Spunky, Zig Zag, and Oakly. Kingsley laid a gentle paw across Zig Zag's back and queried, "What's wrong here?"

Oakly was the first to speak. "Someone has taken the strawberries, the corn, and the pie that we had for the picnic." Spunky and Zig Zag nodded in agreement.

Cutesaurus gaped in amazement. "If someone took the food, that means we have a thief about! That can't be possible."

"Well, if it's not a thief, out food disappeared into thin air," Spunky bitterly stated.

"Did you see any signs of who might have done this?" questioned Cha Cha.

"Nothing to see," pouted Zig Zag. "Our food was just gone."

"It won't hurt to look again," philosophized Kingsley. "Where did the theft occur?"

"My pie was on the open windowsill," said Spunky, brightening a bit at the thought that maybe something could be done to solve the mystery. "But you can see that there is no clue to help us."

"Hmm," murmured Kingsley as he peered closely at the windowsill. "There is something here. He turned, holding some short, black hairs. "These were stuck on a nail; any idea what or who they came from?"

"Well, none of us, that's for sure," giggled Cha Cha.

"Let's go down to the corn field," instructed Cutesaurus. "Maybe we will have more luck there."

So the entire group headed to the garden, to search for some sign to help them, but to no avail. There was nothing at either the corn patch or the strawberry bed to point them in the right direction.

"We can't do anything more for now," said Edgar. "Shouldn't we just go on our picnic as planned? We still have a fair amount of food to eat. Can't waste this beautiful weather!"

So with the food in hand and a large picnic basket full of accessories, the Pony Friends headed for their favorite picnic spot-- a level, grassy area along the Shimmering Stream. It was a perfect spot with the creek to swim in, and the grassy area was backed by tall, shady trees. Flowering bushes in pink and purple dotted the landscape; and butterflies bustled from flower to flower, adding their delicate charm to the scene.

Spunky immediately opened the picnic basket and drew out the red and white checkered table cloth which she and Oakly laid on the grass. Creamsicle set out the plates, glasses, and flatware. The food was set on the center of the cloth.

"How about a swim before we eat?" suggested Zig Zag. "Last one in is a rotten egg!"

With screams and peals of laughter, the eight friends headed full-speed for the stream, aptly named for the shimmering ripples reflecting the sunbeams. Creamsicle was the first to jump in and Cutesaurus teasingly argued with Edgar over which of them had been the last to make it into the refreshing water. They all had a rollicking time swimming, splashing, diving, and floating-- enjoying each other's company as the best of friends.

"My stomach's growling," Kingsley finally shouted. "Who's ready to eat?"

It was unanimous that the time had come to enjoy the main purpose for this picnic-- food. So with appetites ready for the best, they headed to the eating area. Edgar was in the front (it was amazing how fast he could move when food was involved) when he suddenly stopped, causing a domino-effect back-up of bodies. Edgar bellowed, "Where's the food?" And everyone stared in amazement. The cloth was still on the ground; so were the plates and the glasses and the flatware. But the food, their tasty meal, was gone!

"I don't believe this," sputtered Spunky. "Who can be behind this?"

At that instant, Kingsley sprang toward the trees. "I'm sure I saw something move over behind those bushes. Let's check it out!"

So as if one unit, they headed to the spot Kingsley indicated. As they looked around the bushes, Cha Cha called out, "Here's a cresent roll! Whoever it was, they came this way!"

Further into the trees, Oakly found another roll. She grinned sheepishly, "Isn't this the way Hansel and Gretel marking their path? I hope we don't run into any witches!"

Kingsley took over the lead. With his acute sense of smell, he could follow the scent of the stolen food. It led them deeper and deeper into the forest; the trees became thicker as they went, and they had to dodge branches and vines.

But unexpectedly, the dense trees opened up into a small, grassy clearing; the Pony Friends spilled out onto it like water from a spout. And then they stopped, wide-eyed in amazement.

At the edge of the clearing loomed a huge, ancient oak tree and under its spreading branches sat a family of racoons surrounded by the missing food. But these were no ordinary raccoons-- everyone knows raccoons are brown with black masks and black tail stripes. And these furry animals did indeed have black masks and stripes, but no brown for them. The daddy racoon was splendid in aqua fur; mommy was elegantly clad in purple. And the three cubs were enough to rival the rainbow (or an Easter egg) for one was pink, one was yellow, and one was blue.

"Well, I'll be..." was all Kingsley could say. The friends stared at the raccoons, and the raccoons stared back.

Finally, Cutesaurus found her voice. "Excuse me, but I think that's our food you're preparing to eat."

All eyes dropped to survey the array of food-- Spunky's pie, Zig Zag's strawberries, Oakly's corn, Cha Cha's cake, Edgar's lemonade, Creamsicle's rolls (what were left), Cutesaurus' fruit, and Kingsley's cookies.

The daddy raccoon stood up and walked bravely to face the friends. "I'm sorry if this food belongs to you and I guess it was wrong to take it without asking, but we are new to these parts and couldn't find food to eat. We just took what we came across."

Mommy raccoon came and stood beside her mate. "Please don't be angry," she pleaded. "We were very hungry; we didn't mean any harm."

By now the three little ones has shyly joined their parents, and Zig Zag reached out slowly to touch the blue baby. "Isn't he precious?" she cooed.

At that Creamsicle sat down by the pink one and touched her fur. "So soft," she whispered.

Oakly gently nuzzled the yellow baby. "I've never seen such fluffy little creatures, except maybe Tabby's cat, Callie," she softly said.

Kingsley cleared his throat. "We are very glad to meet any new family that comes our way, and you certainly are welcome to share our food. However," and here he turned and winked at the Pony Friends, "we should do this up right. Spunky, you and Zig Zag run back and get the picnic cloth and supplies. Edgar and I will get a fire going to roast that corn. We'll have our picnic yet. And five new friends to share it with!"

Mr. and Mrs. Raccoon smiled gratefully and gathered their cubs safely out of range of the campfire. Everyone quickly did his or her part to get this long overdue meal prepared. Before they finally sat down to eat, formal introductions were made (Mr. and Mrs. Raccoon were known as Stripes and Princess; their yellow baby was named Bumble-- he did resemble a fat yellow and black bumblebee; the pink baby was Satin; and the blue baby boy was Rebel-- he had an independent spirit) and thanks was properly given.

"Yes, it was a gorgeous day for a picnic," murmured Spunky contentedly as they finished off the last morsels of food. "What better than five new friends to make it simply perfect."

"Amen," echoed the entire group.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

INVENTO PONIES


by Sharnox@aol.com:

The Four Elements:

FIRE: Red unicorn with red, orange, and yellow multi stripe hair, red twinkle eyes, and a red glitter phoenix rising from a yellow glitter fire symbol. Name "Phoenix"

AIR: Pale blue Flutter pony with white hair and yellow mane stripe a la Sunbeam. Symbol is yellow sun rising over white clouds. Name "Sunsinger"

EARTH: Boy pony, green body with brown hair, cypress trees symbol. Cypress trees have brown trunks with green boughs. Name "Cypress"

WATER: Sea pony, pearlized sea green with aqua hair with white streak. Name "Tsunami"



The Four Seasons: (all Earth ponies)

SPRING: Pastel pink with pastel green, lavender, and yellow striped mane, with bouquet of pastel lavender tulips symbol. Comes with woven basket filled with "fresh flowers." Name: Tulip

SUMMER: Neon pink, neon yellow hair, comes with pony sized sunglasses and bottle of "tanning lotion". Symbol is a beach chair striped in white and blue with a yellow sun over it. Name: Hot Stuff

FALL: Rusty orange with brick red hair with muted yellow stripe. Symbol is three falling maple leaves in yellow and red. Name: Wind Dancer

WINTER: White on white pony, symbol is a glittery blue snowball in the middle of being thrown (with stripes behind it to show action.) Name: Snowsparkle



by Princess:

email if you want a picture - chamber@lakenet.com



Name: Chilly

Breed: Big Brother

Body Color: light blue

Mane and Tail Color: blue & dark blue

Symbol: penguin



Name: Chomper

Breed: Big Brother

Body Color: mint green

Mane and Tail Color: purple

Symbol: baby t-rex



Name: Clover

Breed: Big Brother

Body Color: mint green

Mane and Tail Color: neon green

Symbol: 3 leaf clover



Name: Ducky

Breed: Earth

Body Color: white

Mane and Tail Color: yellow and pink

Symbol: duck

*special offer Easter pony



Name: Sassy

Breed: Unicorn

Body Color: purple

Mane and Tail Color: rainbow - mint green, purple, yellow, & blue

Symbol: neon shapes all over body

*special offer Fancy Prance pony



Name: Shamrock

Breed: Big Brother

Body Color: green and mint green

Mane and Tail Color: dark green

Symbol: three-leaf clover



Name: Simba

Breed: Big Brother

Body Color: white and gray

Mane and Tail Color: brown

Symbol: lion head



Name: Splash

Breed: Big Brother

Body Color: blue and light blue

Mane and Tail Color: dark blue

Symbol: killer whale picture



Name: Woody

Breed: Big Brother

Body Color: cream yellow and white

Mane and Tail Color: yellow

Symbol: Woodstock



Name: Ghost

Breed: Big Brother

Body Color: White and gray

Mane and Tail Color: gold

Symbol: Spooky the ghost beanie baby



Name: Moonstones

Breed: Big Brother

Body Color: purple and mint green

Mane and Tail Color: blue and pink

Symbol: blue circle stones all over body



Name: Tiger

Breed: Big Brother

Body Color: white and green

Mane and Tail Color: white and gold

Symbol: tiger



Name: Waddles

Breed: Big Brother

Body Color: light blue and blue

Mane and Tail Color: teal blue

Symbol: penguin



Name: Star

Breed: Big Brother

Body Color: blue and dark blue

Mane and Tail Color: yellow

Symbol: yellow stars all over body

*special offer Fancy Prance pony

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dancer's Story #3


Dancer watched as Dutchess started talking to Magic, Wonder, and Majesty. She realized that since her past was known, she might have to leave Wonder and Dream Valley!

Then Dancer slipped out and walked back down the hallway. She opened the door and walked outside. Dancer looked up at the sky as it started snowing. She walked around the side of the mansion and saw a rose garden, covered in snow. Then on the other side of the garden Dancer heard the sound of laughter. A dapple white Arabian filly was racing a Palomino Arabian, and an odd looking paint filly. The paint filly had four white stockings, a white mane and tail, and white back. She was about to turn and go back into the mansion when the paint filly saw her. The three walked over to Dancer.

"Hello, I am Star," the paint said. Then she told Dancer her friends' names. The Palomino Arabian was Mindy, and the white Arabian was Hope.

"Would you like to race with us?" Hope asked Dancer.

"Sure!" Dancer said, and then the four fillies raced across the snow.

They ran around the side of the house and stopped short when they came face-to-face with Dutchess and Wonder.

"Ahh, I see you have met the future racehorses of DreamValley, Dancer?"

Dancer took a few steps back. "Yes, I have. So now what is going to happen to me?"

Wonder stepped up closer to Dancer. "You can choose where you want to live, Dancer."

Dancer looked up and smiled. "I'm staying with you, Wonder! Can my new friends come to live with me too? We could all be racehorses together!"

The four fillies all looked up at Dutchess and Wonder with smiling faces. "Pleeeeeeeease??!!" they said in unison.

Wonder and Dutchess had agreed on letting the fillies go to live at Whitebrook. The next day, Dancer took Hope, Star, and Mindy on a tour of Whitebrook. They had taken a walk on one of the trails and discovered that it continued up Paradise Mountain.

"This is so cool!" Dancer said to her friends. "I never knew that the trails at Whitebrook connected with the ones at Paradise Mountain."

As the four fillies reached the top of the Mountain, something they didn't expect happened. Five wolves jumped out of the woods and ran at Dancer and the others. Hope screamed, and so did Mindy.

"RUN!!!!!" Dancer screamed and the four fillies took off at a fast gallop down the mountain.

Suddenly three large colts jumped out at the wolves. There was a black Clydesdale, a Palomino Clydesdale, and an odd-looking paint Mustang. Dancer figured they must be yearlings. Together the three chased the wolves away.

"Are you three all right?" the paint colt asked.

"Yes, we are," Dancer said. "Who are you three?" she asked.

"I'm Storm's Fury, the black Clydesdale is Shadow, and the Palomino is Dusty."

Dancer introduced herself and her friends, then the seven horses started talking. Dancer told Storm that she wanted to be a racehorse.

"Really? That is so cool, so do I!"

Then Shadow and Dusty turned to Storm. "We gotta go, see you later!" Then the two draft horses turned and galloped across the snow.

Dancer, Hope, Star, Mindy, and Storm spent the rest of the day together running around Dream Valley. "So, Storm, my mother wants to be a racehorse, too. Let me take you to her. She would like to meet you."

Dancer had been right. Wonder convinced Storm to join Whitebrook's racing team.

"Thank you, Wonder! Now I'm gonna get my big chance!"



Created by: Megahertz@ainop.com

Chamber@lakenet.com

BabyChomper@hotmail.com

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Package Back Stories


Windy(Magic Message)

One March day, Windy was flying her colorful new kite in the cool spring breeze. Suddenly a gust of wind carried her kite into a tree! Windy tugged on the string, but it was hopelessly tangled in the branches. "Mr. Tree, could you untangle my kite?" asked Windy. The tree wiggled his leaves and slipped the kite off his branches, gently placing it on the ground. Windy winked an eye at the tree and filled his branches with big red apples to thank him for freeing her kite!



Whirly(Windy Wing)

As Whirly strolled in a meadow, a flock of birds flew by. "It's a beautiful day to go flying, Whirly! Please join us!" they called. Whirly flapped her wings and flew into the air. She and the happy birds chased each other around the sun and slid down slides made of sunbeams. At the end of the day, Whirly waved goodbye to her feathered friends. "Let's go flying tomorrow!" she called, swooping to the ground.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thanks to all who submitted stories, invento ponies, and survey responses. As I've said before, the success of MLP Monthly depends on your support. Also, don't forget to e-mail cloewen@juno.com with your impressions of ‘All The Pretty Little Ponies'.

-Tabby

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Answers to Puzzles:

a. Quit following me.

b. Hours on end.

c. Three months overdue.

d. Tall, dark, and handsome.

e. Too good to last.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next issue will be sent April 1st.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Go Back to My Little Pony Monthly Index
Go Back to Tabby's Dream Valley